The Woodward Alumni Hall of Fame Association
Glynis L. Kolling, Ph. D. Inducted 2017 - Class of 1992
Hailing from the Northern most reaches of Woodward’s District, Glynis recalls her everyday bus ride with her steadfast companions as the first student on the bus and as a consequence the last one off. Joining Glynis on this daily journey to shared classrooms and memories were; Heather Davis, Kara McCrohy, Tara Wisniewski, Jeremy Schroeder, Dave Majewski, and Chris Junga.
Glynis eagerly identified Mrs. Iris Szelagowski as an example of just one of Woodward's fine teachers that took a true interest in her and got her started along a path of study that was rooted in science. Mrs. Szelagowski enrolled Glynis in a summer research program for high school students that gave Glynis her first experience working in a research laboratory. This fantastic experience included the exposure to advanced academic careers, the possibility of working in the scientific community, and greatly influenced her decision to pursue a doctorate in science.
Glynis also mentioned Mr. McMurray for his wonderful sense of humor and Craig Crego for her
solid grounding in the language arts and the power of a vocabulary. Glynis also talked a lot about Case Western University with a hall guard that would let her back into Woodward after returning from lunch at one of the neighborhoods fast food restaurants. Glynis recalled that a major part of her cherished time at Woodward was spent with Mr. Haga's Band/Flag practices and performances. Glynis treasured her memories from the summers at Band camp, "I hold all of my band memories close to my heart."
Perhaps Glynis's greatest lasting memory of Woodward occurred during her senior year when she was awarded the GAF Scholarship through the German Club along with the Woodward Hall of Fame Scholarship. And to balance 1992 Glynis was voted Class Clown along with having the best smile in her Senior Class.
Glynis graduated from Ohio State University in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in Food Science and was accepted into Rutgers University's Food Science program, graduating with her Ph.D.
For almost 20 years since leaving Woodward, Glynis has pursued her education, focusing her research into microbiology and its impact on the human intestinal tract. After earning her doctorate from Rutgers, Glynis continued her research as a post-doctorate researcher before becoming an Assistant Professor of Medicine in Infectious Diseases and International Health at the University of Virginia. Glynis has published numerous journal articles and awarded multiple grants culminating in the 2009 Young Investigators Grant for Probiotics Research.
Glynis is married to Kevin Bargy and together they have a daughter, Addison, who is nine. They live just south of Thomas Jefferson's Monticello where Glynis enjoys cooking and working in her garden.